Columns

Since last fall, mass shootings have occurred at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, on Nov. 5, at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., on Feb. 14 and at Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe, Texas, five days ago.

These shootings exhibit a common thread, just not the one that the gun-control movement would have you believe.

In these times of deep division in our country, I would like to point out something that we Americans have in common.
One in five U.S. residents – across all social classes, races, religious beliefs, genders and ages – lives with some form of mental health condition in a given year. It is so common that it’s becoming an epidemic.
Despite this fact, there is still stigma associated with having a diagnosis of a mental health condition.

Editor’s note: Sen. Scott testified Thursday before the congressional Joint Economic Committee on the benefits that Opportunity Zones, passed in last year’s federal tax reform bill, will have on distressed communities across the country. In March, Gov. Henry McMaster selected nearly all of the city of Lancaster as two of the state’s 135 Opportunity Zones. The program makes those areas eligible for tax incentives to encourage business creation. Here are excerpts of Scott’s testimony:

In the second act of the hit Broadway musical “Hamilton,” the Aaron Burr character expresses his jealousy at being excluded from – and his desire to get into – the meetings that his rival Alexander Hamilton participates in where major decisions are made to plot the course of the new United States.
“I wanna be in the room where it happens,” Burr sings.

It would seem to be the perfect crime. A petty crime for sure, but a crime nonetheless. After all, the items I left out I expected to be gone at some point.
This past Saturday, the U.S. Postal Service and United Way held the Stamp Out Hunger food drive. In Lancaster, postal workers picked up nonperishable food items left by their customers to be donated to Project HOPE, our local food bank.
On Friday I dutifully went by the supermarket and purchased about $20 worth of nonperishable items to donate. Around 10 a.m. Saturday, I placed three bags of items at my mailbox.

On the last day of regular session Thursday, S.C. lawmakers in an unrecorded voice vote effectively approved a “do-over” election for a state Public Service Commission seat, allowing the incumbent to stay on months after his term expires and the opportunity to decide on matters related to the controversial V.C. Summer project.
Lawmakers also overwhelmingly elected a former legislator and circuit judge to a four-year term on the seven-member PSC, which routinely raised electric rates for the failed nuclear project.

Editor’s note: Last Thursday, White House communications aide Kelly Sadler was criticized for dismissing ailing Arizona Sen. John McCain’s opposition to President Trump’s CIA nominee, saying it “doesn’t matter, he’s dying anyway.” On Sunday, Sen. Lindsey Graham appeared on CBS’ “Face The Nation” and discussed the remark, the Iran nuclear deal and talks with North Korea. Here are excerpts of his interview with host Margaret Brennan.

Editor’s note: Former S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley, now President Trump’s representative at the U.N., gave a commencement address and received an honorary doctorate Thursday at Clemson University. She is a 1994 graduate of the school. Here are excerpts of her speech.

It’s a great day at Clemson University! And it’s a great day in South Carolina!
Congratulations to the College of Business and the College of Education Class of 2018. And thank you for this amazing honor.

Remember at one time when a camera panned a sideline during a college or pro football game, a wide-grinning player often greeted the shot with a warm “Hi Mom.”
You recall that?
You couldn’t watch a game without that memorable scene.
I know why.
My father, the late Jim Howey, once told me your mother is your “best friend.”
She’s why you’re here today; no matter if she isn’t a part of your life now, and you wear a white rose to honor her memory today – Mother’s Day.

The National Freedom of Information Coalition (NFOIC) has contacted Google about Gmail’s new “self-destructing” email feature, which could allow government employees to delete public records subject to federal and state open government and freedom of information laws.

In an open letter to Google CEO Sundar Pichai, NFOIC board President Mal Leary cited that most states have clear record-retention laws aimed at making sure public records, electronic and otherwise, such as official correspondence between public officials, are secured and maintained.